CHAPTER 619: CHAPTER 297: [ARAB COUNTRIES: PULLING A SELF-DESTRUCT BOMB...]

"What do they take us for?"

"But then..."

"The situation of the United States is well known."

"Let alone any dissent."

"Even if you condemn them at the United Nations and protest against what the United States is doing, it’s useless."

"Not to mention the opposition within the Federation."

"So the United States doesn’t care at all; they just do what they want."

"And the reason why the United States was able to establish diplomatic relations and achieve strategic détente with the Republic is because there was no major conflict with the Republic in their global strategy."

"The reason there was no détente with the Soviet Union last time."

"Was because the conflicts in their global strategy were too numerous. Détente was possible, but the United States did not want to give in at all."

"So even with détente, they ended up in confrontation."

"But the Republic is different."

"The only conflict the United States currently has with the Republic is the war in Vietnam Federation."

"And the United States plans to withdraw its troops from there."

"So strictly speaking, it’s not a conflict."

"It’s just that the United States might want to make a last-ditch effort."

"Although they resumed diplomacy with the Republic this year."

"But the following month, the United States launched an ’Easter Offensive’ in Vietnam Federation, as the name implies, similar to the ’Christmas Offensive’ in the Peninsula War."

"They tried to achieve a victory and then go home."

"But obviously... such a thing is impossible."

"The ’Easter Offensive’ organized by the United States failed terribly; this time, they have completely lost the desire to continue fighting."

"This year, U.S. troop numbers fell from 330,000 to around 24,000."

"Which means a complete withdrawal."

Yu Feng flipped through the documents and continued:

"Then came 1973."

"In that year, the United States signed the Paris Peace Accords, withdrawing all its soldiers, but aid continued."

"Without the support of the United States’ homeland troops."

"The internal war situation of the Vietnam Federation became one-sided."

"However, this year."

"The United States’ economy also began to experience inflation, soaring by 8.8%, and the post-war era of economic prosperity was forced to an end."

"Of course, the Vietnam Federation war was one reason for this, due to the large amount of money being printed."

"At the same time."

"The proxy wars in the Middle East Region were also an important reason."

"Because that year."

"The Fourth Middle East War broke out."

"A major war between the Federation supported by the United States and the Arab countries, with the United States providing large-scale military aid to the Federation."

"This enraged the Arab countries."

"Thus."

"As a retaliation from the Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, the Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) decided to use the ’oil weapon’ to strike against the supporters of the Federation."

"Who are the supporters of the Federation? Is it even necessary to say?"

"The United States, of course."

"So how did the Arab countries use the ’oil weapon’ to strike the United States?"

"First, by imposing an oil embargo on the United States and other countries supporting the Federation (United States, Netherlands Federation, Kingdom of Portugal, etc.)."

"At the same time, they drastically cut oil exports, leading to a global oil supply crisis."

"Unilaterally raising prices."

"Increasing the price of crude oil per barrel from about $3 to four times higher, a 400% surge in oil prices."

"After this combination of moves.... everyone."

"What do you think?"

Yu Feng’s voice trailed off.

The Blue Star viewers in the live stream were all stunned.

Damn?

What the hell is this?

The Middle East countries are digging their own grave?

Can the United States be messed with by them?

If you can’t handle it, go to the Soviet Union. Creating a global oil crisis, unilateral pricing, and setting prices at will, this kind of thing.... Superpowers can play.

But it’s not something these Arab countries can manage.

This oil crisis.

Didn’t just catch the United States off guard.

The Soviet Union was caught off guard as well.

The most critical point is.

The problems that were exposed.

Which is that you absolutely can’t place the most important resource like oil in the hands of an unstable regional bloc.

You have to know that on this ’Earth,’ there are only two superpowers.

Yet, the oil lifeline for these two superpowers is in the hands of an unstable regional bloc.

Not even the United States will agree to that.

Even the rapidly expanding Soviet Union won’t agree.

If this hadn’t come to light before, it would have been fine.

But now.... this move by the Arab countries has set a trap for the whole world.

Even though it might win them a temporary victory.

The subsequent impact will definitely far exceed this temporary victory.

The later Iraq Federation Gulf War might also have some roots from here.

The live stream chat was buzzing with discussions.

Everyone was dumbfounded about how the Arab countries came up with such a foolish move.

Including the previous revelations about the Soviet Union’s unchecked expansion and the United States’ mass printing of money, now adding this self-destructive bomb from the Arab countries....

The Blue Star Players were confused.

Feeling like this ’Earth’ seems to be run by amateurs.

How could they come up with such a foolish move?

In reality.

It’s just survivor’s bias.

Compared to the [Huaxia] series where intrigues and plots are commonplace, you can always find similar cases in history no matter what happens.

The Federations overseas are actually unaware of the outcomes that will be caused due to their short history.

Coupled with long-term chaos.

Many records were lost, and they don’t even know if similar situations have happened before.

So what seems incredible to players familiar with the [Huaxia] historical series is often regarded as brilliant maneuvers by many ’Earth native NPCs’ overseas.

Without a hint of the long-term impact it might have.

Looking at the discussion in the live stream, Yu Feng continued:

"Exactly."

"That move by the Arab countries, really...."

"Perhaps they see it as a ’weapon of justice.’"

"But the hegemon of ’Earth’ isn’t them."

"Not being a hegemon, yet holding the lifeline of all other Federation countries around the world."

"How could it not be targeted?"

"With this move from the Arab countries."

"It directly led the British Commonwealth and Norway, among others, to accelerate the development of the North Sea oil fields, to break the Middle East’s monopoly on oil."

"The Soviet Union took the opportunity to massively export oil, raking in a lot of funds."

"The United States accelerated the development of Alaska oil fields, heavily investing in domestic oil exploration."

"You could say that after the Arab countries made this move."

"All the countries and Federations around the world are trying to find ’alternatives.’"

"With one core purpose."

"Which is to absolutely avoid having their throats choked by these unstable groups in the Middle East."

"If they pull off another move like this in the future."

"Who could endure that?"

"This move, while bringing significant short-term benefits."

"Directly led to the creation of powerful competitors."

"As oil exploration is happening worldwide, you realize that other areas also have oil, even if the Middle East has a lot."

"Although the overall reserves are not as plentiful as in the Middle East, when combined, it’s definitely sufficient."

"This also pushed the world towards ’de-OPEC’ at a faster pace."

"Originally, countries around the world relied on the ’Arab Petroleum Organization (OPEC)’ for oil imports, but after this sudden move, they realized."

"This is too unstable."

"You raise prices whenever you want, and cut production whenever you feel like it."

"That’s not okay, definitely not okay."

"As long as countries find new oil sources, they will most likely abandon ’OPEC’ imports without hesitation."

"This kind of strategy."

"To be honest, it’s really not suitable for small countries."

"If it were the Soviet Union or the United States using this strategy, other Federations or countries might grudgingly accept it, but small countries using it is pure suicide...."

"Using monopolistic methods without the strength of a monopoly."

"The worst result has already played out in the Gulf War storyline."

"Ultimately, on ’Earth,’ strength speaks louder than words."